Recently, the Supreme Court mandated the Manipur government to provide ₹3,000 per day to civil services hopefuls from its troubled hill districts. This financial support aims to facilitate their travel outside the state for the UPSC Civil Services Examination scheduled for May 26th.

In a special hearing held at 6:50 p.m., a panel consisting of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra mentioned the concerns raised by civil service aspirants from Manipur's hill districts. These aspirants have chosen examination centers outside the state due to safety apprehensions.

"The persons who are presently residing in hill districts and applied for the UPSC examination shall be paid ₹ 3,000 per day per candidate so as to enable such candidates to travel outside the state to attend the examination. ''

''Any candidate desirous of obtaining this benefit should indicate the nodal officer where they are currently staying on the email address as provided in this order," it said.

In the course of the proceedings, the Supreme Court was presented with a plea representing 140 students who requested the relocation of their examination centers outside Manipur. It was revealed that the state government had been instructed by the high court to provide ₹1,500 to individuals who had chosen examination centers outside Manipur.

"While it was not practical to arrange transport for others, the allowance was increased from 1,500. We are of view that the quantum ordered by HC is increased to ₹ 3,000," the CJI said and disposed of the plea.

On March 29, the UPSC informed the Delhi High Court that candidates from Manipur's hill districts, who had initially chosen Imphal as their examination center, would be allowed to change it. Additionally, the UPSC stated that the state government would assist these candidates in their travel arrangements.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had outlined that aspirants from Manipur's hill districts could select any of the following centers—Aizawl, Mizoram; Kohima, Nagaland; Shillong, Meghalaya; Dispur, Assam; Jorhat, Assam; Kolkata, West Bengal; or Delhi—by submitting a request for a change of examination center via email between April 8 and 19. Furthermore, the UPSC clarified that due to the Manipur government's inability to establish examination centers in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, it was not feasible to set up and operate examination venues there for the UPSC examination.

In May 2023, Manipur was engulfed in violence following a high court directive instructing the state government to contemplate the inclusion of the non-tribal Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. This order sparked widespread ethnic clashes, resulting in over 160 fatalities and several hundred injuries. The unrest initially erupted on May 3 during a 'Tribal Solidarity March' held in the hill districts, organized to oppose the majority Meitei community's push for Scheduled Tribe status.